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The  doubting  Ch 
Conf  Pam  12mo  #474 


FOURTH   EDITION 


THE 


DOUBTING    CHRISTIAN 


_"E3IS"OOUH.A.<a-ElI> 


BY   THE   LATE 

K i\  REV.  NICHOLAS  H,  C0BB8,  D,  D*, 

Bishop  of  lite  Diocese  of  Alabama. 

— » «-«♦•-.« « 


I    MONTOWN,    ALA: 

i  li  M   THE  DATT.V  HERALD  BOOK  ANT)  Jug  CFFlCE 

1864. 


THE 

WILLIAM  R.  PERKINS 

LIBRARY 

OF 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY 


Rare  Books 


R&& 


THE 

DOUBTING  CHRISTIAN  ENCOURAGED, 


St.    Mark,   ix,  24. 
'  And  straightway  the  father  of  the  child  cried  out,  and  said  \\ith  tear- 
Lord,    J  believe;    help    thou   mine  unbelief.'' 

These  words  of  the  text  are  a  part  of  a  very  interesting 
portion  of  the  New  Testament,  and  arc  well  calculated  to 
affect  us  with  the  liveliest  sensibility.  ;'  And  one  of  the  niulti 
tude -answered  and  said.  Master,  I  have  brought  unto  thee  my 
son,  which  hath  a  dumb  spirit ;  and  wheresoever  he  taketh 
him,  he  teareth  him  :  and  he  foameth  and  gnasheth  with  his 
teeth,  and  pinetli  away  :  and  I  spake  to  rhy  disciples  that 
they  should  cast  him  out.  and  they  could  no*,  lie  answer - 
eth  and  saith,  0  faithless  generation,  how  loDg  shall  I  be 
with  you?  how  long  shall  I  suffer  you?  bring  him  onto 
me.  And  they  brought  him  uuto  him  ;  and  when  he  saw 
him,  straightway  the  spirit  tear  him,  and  he  fell  on  the 
ground,  and  wallowed  foaming.  And  he  asked  his  father, 
how  long  is  it  ago  since  this  came  unto  him  ?  And  he  said, 
of  a  chikl.  And  oftentimes  it  hath  cast  him  into  the  fire, 
and  into  the  waters,  to  destroy  him  ;  but  if  thou  canst  do 
any  thing,  have  compassion  on  us  and  help  us".  And  Jesus 
said  unto  him,  li\  thou  canst  believe,  all  things  are  possible 
to  him  that  believe  th.  And  straightway  the  father  of  the 
child  cried  out  and  said  with  tears,  Lord,  I  hdieue  :  hel/> 
mine  v.ribellc ."'  There  is  something  very  affecting  in 
the  word  of  the  father  of  the  afflicted  child.  *  He  was  in  a 
most  painful  struggle  between  hope  and  fear  : — anxiously 
solicitous  for  relief  of  his  poor  unfortunate  child  ;  he  felt 
his  fearful  responsibility  when  told  that  the  recovery  of  the 
child  depended  upon  the  strength  of  his  own  faith.  .Al- 
though he  was  conscious  of  having  faith  in  the  power  of 
the  Saviour  to  heal  diseases  in  general  ;  yet  there  were  cir- 
cumstances in  the  case  of  his  own  child  which  excited  his 
fears.  The  disciples  had  tried  to  heal  his  child,  and  had 
failed — and  it  might  be  that  the  efforts  of  the  Saviour  him- 
self would  prove   equally   unavailing.     No  wonder,  then. 


that  the  tender  heart  of  the  father,  sought  relief  in  tears, 
and  that  he  should  utter  the  pathetic  exclamation  of  the 
text,  "  Lord,  I  believe  ;  help  thou  mine  unbelief."  As  much 
as  to  say,  "  Lord,  I  do  wish  to  believe — I  do  try  to  believe 
— I  think,  indeed,  that  I  do  believe  :  yet  I  must  confess  that 
T  have  many  doubts  and  fears  ;  I  am  not  certain  that  my 
faith  is  sincere  ;  I  may,  after  all,  be  deceived  ;  Lord  wilt 
thou  be  pleased  to  have  mercy  on  my  weakness,  and  help 
me  to  believe,  and  heal  my  poor  child,  notwithstanding  all 
the  defects  of  my  faith.'' 

In  these  words  of  the  father  of  the  child  we  see  the  exer- 
cise of  weak  and  doubting  believers  in  the  present  day. 
There  are  multitudes  ready  to  exclaim,  and  even  sometimes 
with  tears,  "  Lord,  we  believe,  help  thou  our  unbelief."  In 
speaking  from  these  words  of  the  text,  we  will  enquire  into 
some  of  the  causes  of  a  weak  and  a  doubting  faith  among 
believers.  For  it  is  obvious  that  a  large  number  of  profes- 
sors are  laboring  under  a  heavy  hurden  of  doubts  and  fears 
— that  their  spiritual  prospects  are  often  confused  and  over- 
clouded, and  that  the  calmness  of  a  settled  and  prevailing 
peace  is  a  stranger  to  their  bosoms.  It  is  true  that  in  many 
cases  these  doubts  and  fears  proceed  from  neglect  of  duty, 
from  the  consciousness  of  transgressions,  from  worldly-mind- 
edness,  and  from  not  attending  upon  the  ordinances  of  the 
gospel.  In  all  such  cases  it  is  right  and  proper  that  profes- 
sors should  be  distressed  with  doubts  and  fears  ;  it  is  a  mer- 
cy that  they  are  so  ;  these  doubts  and  fears  may  be  the  means 
of  their  safety,  the  way  by  which  they  are  to  be  brought  to 
self-examination,  to  repentance  and  reformation.  Sad,  in- 
deed, would  it  be  for  such  persons  to  be  crying  peace,  peace, 
when  the  scriptures  and  their  own  consciences  tell  them 
''  there  is  no  peace.7'  But  yet  there  are  numbers  of  humble, 
sincere,  conscientious  and  tender-hearted  professors  who  are 
often  distressed  with  doubts  and  fears,  and  all  proceeding 
from  the  want  of  a  clear  view  of  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel. 
It  will  therefore  be  the  object  of  the  present  remarks,  to 
inquire  why  such  persons  are  laboring  under  a  weak  and 
doubting  faith. 

1.  Some  persons  confound  faith  ivith  assurance,  and  think 
they  cannot  have  a  saving  faith  unless  they  are  certain  of 
being  converted  and  accepted.  Some  persons  there  are,  who 
tell  you  that  they  do  wish  to  believe,  that  thcyare  willing 
lo  go  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  put  all  their  trust  and 
eonhdence  in  his  merits  and  mercy.  But  they  are  afraid 
that  Christ  will  not  receive  them  ;  they  feel  as  though  it 


would  be  presumption  in  them  to  claim  an  interest  in  his  sal- 
vation ;  tLat  although  they  do  sometimes  cherish  a  hope  in 
the  Saviour,  yet  they  neither  know  the  time  nor  the  place  of 
their  conversion  ;  that  they  are  not  certain  they  have  the 
witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  nor  that  God  has  pardoned  their 
•.in.:.  Now,  to  these  very  common  difficulties;  experience.! 
by  humble  and  serious  inquirers,  we  would  say  that  faith  is 
a  different  tiling  from  assurance — from  a  cettfain  oonjid 
of  being  converted.  Persons  may  be  very  confident  o£ 
being  converted — may  think  to  have  an  assurance  of  the 
pardon  of  theireins,  and  yet  have  no  true  saving  faith,  no 
vital  religion.  Indeed,  it  sometimes  happens  that  those  who 
have  the  most  confidence  and  assurance,  have  the  least  claim  ■ 
to  true  evangelical  faith. 

Faith  is  a  looking  to   Christ;  is  an  humble   trusting 
Christ,  an  acceptance  of  Christ  :  it  is  a  belief  in  the  word 
and  promise  and  power  of  Christ  ;  it  is  submission  to  hia 
laws  :  it  is  the  resting  upon  Christ  of  one's  whole  hope  of 
mercy  and  salvation  :  it  is  the  embracing  of  Christ  as  he 
is  set  forth  in  the  gospel,  as  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life. 
13 ut  all  this  has  nothing  to  do  with  a  confidence  that  we  are 
converted,  with  an    assurance  that  we  are  accepted.     For 
example,  when  the  eunuch,  after  listening  to  the  preachin;:; 
of  Philip,  inquired  to  know  ':  if  he  might  not  be  baptised," 
6r   in   other  words  make  a  profession  of  religion,  Philip 
answered,   "  If  thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,   thou 
mayest •"  to  which  the  eunuch  replied,  "  I  believe  that  J 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  Cod  f  or  in  other  words,  "  1    accepl 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners.     I  accede 
to  the  terms  of  salvation,  as  laid  down  in  the  gospel  :  I  pul 
nay  whole  trust  and  confidence  in  God's  mercy,  through  J 
Christ,  and  I  am  now  willing  to  give  the  required  sign  of 
my  faith  through  the  Sacraments  of  the  Church."     there- 
upon Philip  immediately  baptized- him,  and   received   him 
into  the   Church  of  Christ.     Again,    when  the  frightened 
jailor  asked  the  apostles  Paul  and  Silas,  "  what  he  must  do 
to  be  saved/'  they  did  not  tell  him  he  could  not  be  sa 
unless  he  was  confident  of  being  pardoned  and  eouverferl,  , 
that  he  must  be   certain  his  sins   were  forgiven    him  :  but 
i hey  told  him,  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved."     They  taugnt  him  to  look  to  Jesus,  to  ac- 
cept him  as  a  Savior,  to  put  his  whole  trust  and  confidence 
in  hie*  merits  and  mercy,     if  the  jailor  would  do  this  in 
cerity,  and  certify  his  faith  through  the  Sacraments   of  the  , 
Church,  the  apostles  knew  that  he  would  be  saved  1 


because  of  any  coniMonod  or  assurance  derived  from  his 
feelings,  or  notions  or  impressions  •  bat  because  of  the  prom- 
ise of  God's  mercy  cataiaed  in  the  gospel.  As  to  the  doc- 
trine sometimes  taught,  that  we  cannot  be  christians  unless 
we  know  the  time  and  place  of  our  conversion,  we  would 
remark,  that  according  to  this  standard  of  judging,  we  can- 
not kno-.v  taat  we  are  alive,  unless  we  can  remember  the 
time  and  place  of  our  natural  birth  ;  that  where  this  evi 
deuce  is  wanting,  we  are  dead,  and  have  never  been  born 
though  we  can  eat  and  drink,  and  move,  and  work,  and  per, 
form  all  the  ofher  functions  and  offices  of  life.  And  as  re 
gards  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  must  determine 
that  important  fact,  not  from  any  glow  or  excitement,  or 
transport  of  feeling,  not  from  notion,  or  fancy,  or  impres 
sion  fastening  itself  upon  the  mind,  but.  by  calmly  compar 
ing  our  exercises,  views,  feelings,  hopes,  desires,  and  con- 
duct,  with  the  word  of  God  as  revealed  in  the  gospel. 
The  written  word  of  the" gospel  is  the  formal,  official  test! 
mony  of  the  Holy  Spirit  spread  upon  record  ;  and  in  order 
that  wp  i-j  y  know  that  we  are  under  the  guidance  and 
teaching  of  that  .same  Spirit,  we  must  compare  ourselves, 
our  exercises  and  conduct  with  the  written  word.  In  this 
way  we  may  ascertain,  not  from  whim,  or  fancy,  or  trans- 
ports, but  from  scripture,  experience,  and  plain  common 
sense,  whether  we  have  the  Holy  Spirit  bearing  witness  with 
our  spirits  that  we  are  the  children  of  God. 

2.  Some  persons  labor  under  doubts  and.,  fears  from  mis- 
apprehending the  whole  }>irr~,  'of 'gospel  saluation.  Being 
awakened  to  a  knowledge  of  the  trut1i<  seeing  themselves 
Tto  be  poor  miserable,  guilty  sinners,  these  persons  a'reafraii 
to  go  to  Christ,  and  to  trust  in  him  for  mercy.  Most  gladly, 
indeed,  would  they  go  to  Christ,  and  embrace  him  as  their 
own  friend  and  Saviour  ;  but  they  dare  not,  they  feel  too 
unworthy,  they  are  not  good  enough.  The  piteous  cry  of 
each  one  of  them  is,  ''Lord,  I  believe  that  thou  art  merci- 
ful, and  willing  to  save  others,  but  I  am  afraid  I  am  so 
wicked  and  vile,  that  there  is  no  mercy  for  me.  My  sin- 
press  heavily  upon  me  ;  and  peace  and  oorrifor:  are  stran- 
gers to  my  bosom.  Others  may  have  hope,  r  ..J  peace  and 
joy,  but  with  me  all  is  darkness,  and  doubt,  and  Tear.  In 
the  words  of  the  hymn. 

•'  I  hear.  bn\  seem  to  hear  in  vain. 

Insensible  as  steel; 
If  augif  is  felt,  'tis  only  pain 

To'fiuJ  I  cannot  feel." 


Now,  with  these  persons,  the  great  difficulty  is,  that  they 
endeavor  to  justify  themselves,  and  to  become  righteous 
before  they  go  to  Christ,  and  make  a  profession  of  their 
faith  through  the  appointed  Ordinances  of  the  Church. 
They  forget  the  great  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  that  4<  Christ 
came  to  save  sinners,"  "  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was 
lost/'  "  to  call  not  the  righteous  but  sinners  to  repentance," 
"  to  invite  not  the  self-righteous,  but  the  poor  in  spirit,  the 
weary  and  heavy  laden  to  come  unto  him."  Christ  has  the 
robes  of  salvation  ;  and  instead  of  sewing  up  fig  leaves  to 
make  to  themselves  garments,  they  must  go  naked  to 
Christ,  and  be  clothed  of  him  in  the  robes  of  righteous- 
ness. They  must  not  wait  to  be  filled,  but  must  go  hungry, 
yea,  starving,  and  be  fed  from  the  bountiful  stores  of  Christ's 
table.  Theymust  not  wait  to  become  clean,  but  as  leprous, 
polluted  and  unclean,  they  must  go  to  Christ,  and  be  wash- 
ed in  the  purifying  blood  of  the  LamU  They  must  not 
hope  to  justify  themselves  by  any  efforts  or  services,  but 
they  must  go  as  guilty  sinners,  and  be  forgiven  all  their  sins; 
freely,  because  of  the  atonement  and  intercession  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  These  persons  will  never  go  to  Christ, 
if  thpy  wait  till  they  become  fit,  worthy,  good  enough  ;  if 
they  delay  till  they  have  repented  enough,  and  believed 
enough,  and  bee:*  humbled  enough  to  recommend  them  to 
the  favor  of  Christ,  and  to  justify  them  in  the  sight  of 
God  ;  if  they  hope  to  find  in  themselves  any  reasons  by 
which  they  may  think  themselves  entitled  to  claim  the  mercy 
of  God.  We  repeat  it,  therefore,  these  persons  must  go  to 
Christ  as  sinners,  poor,  lost,  ruined  sinners.  They  must 
give  themselves  up  to  God  through  the  Ordinances  aud  Sac- 
raments of  his  Church,  with  a  full  consciousness  of  being- 
altogether  unworthy  :  tboy  must  place  their  whole  trust  and 
confidence  in  the  righteousness,  and  merits,  and  mercy  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  this,  wiy  the  painful  conflict  in  their 
breasts  will  be  terminated,  the  burden  of  guilt  will  be  re- 
moved ;  and  as  they  humbly  repose  upon  the  simple  but 
sure  promise  of  God's  mercy  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  dark 
clouds  will  be  dispersed  from  their  spiritual  horison,  and 
hope,  aud  peace,  and  comfort  will  be  felt  in  their  souls. 

3.  Another  reason  why  persons  labor  under  doubts  and 
fears,  is,  because  they  overlook  one  of  the  great  objects  of  gos- 
pel evelation,  ivhich  teas  to  certify  us  of  God's  good  iviU  to 
men.  Those  persons  think  they  are  to  determine  whether 
God  is  willing  to  have  mercy  upon  them  by  some  strange, 
unnatural  feeling,  by  some  peculiar  manifestation,  by  some 


extraordinary  impression  upon  their  minds,  by  some  special 
inward  revelation  of, God's  grace  and  pardon.  They  gay 
rhey  do  believe,  at  least  they'try  to  believe,  they  are  willing 
to  go  to  Christ  as  poor  lost  sinners,  they  do  give  -up  and 
put  their  whole  dependence  in  the  merits  of  the  Saviour  ; 
but  vet  with  them  all  is  darkness,  and  doubt,  and  fear.  No 
light  of  hope,  cheers  their  dreary  prospects,  no  voice  of 
mercy  greets  their  anxious  ears,  no  evidence  from' on  high 
has  been  received  that  their  sins  have  been  forgiven,  that 
they  have  been  accepted  of  Go<J,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
their  individual  friend.' their  present  Saviour,  The  mourn- 
ful cry  of  each  one  of  them  is  this,  "  Oh  that  I  could  know. 
could  be  certain  that  God  was  willing,  to  have  mercy  upon 
me}  that  Jesus  Christ  died  for  me,  that  my  sins  were  nov: 
pardoned,  and  that  I  might  call  Jesns  Christ  *u my  Lord., 
and  my  Goclr  Now  the  difficulty  with  these  persons  is 
this  ;  they  disregard  the  settled  testimony  of  God's  word  and 
institutions,  the  plain  simple  purpose  of  the  gospel  revela- 
tion, and  look  for  an  extraneous  evidence  which  is  vague 
and  indefinite,  an  evidence  which  can  be  subjected  to  no 
fixed  rules  of  examination,  but  which  depends  on  frames 
and  feelings,  upon  impulses  and  fancies;  in  a  word,  they 
overlook  the  evidence  which  God  has  established,  and  seek 
after  that  which  man  imagines  or  invents.  Now,  if  it  is  by 
our  frames  and  feelings  alone  that  we  are  to  determine 
God's  purposes  towards  us,  if  this  is  the  only  sure  evidence 
by  which  we  are  to  determine  whether  or  not  God  pardons 
our  sins,  of  what  benefit  is  the  gospel—of  what  use  are  the 
institutions  and  Sacraments  of  the  Church  ?  If  it  is  yet  to 
be  left  to  our  frames  and  feelings,  to  individual  illumina- 
tion, to  determine  the  momentous  question  of  God's  willing- 
ness to  save  sinners,  then  indeed  the  gospel  was  given  in 
vain,  and  the  angels  of  heaven  were  mistaken,  when  regard- 
ing the  birth  of  the  Saviour  as  the  great,  conclusive,  and 
standing  evidence  of  God's  merciful  purposes  towards  men, 
they  exclaimed,  "  glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  on  earth 
peace,  good  will  towards  men.*'  If  it  is  to  be  left  to  our 
feelings  and  impulses  alone  to  ascertain  our  adoption  and 
acceptance,  how  are  we  to  ascertain  these  feelings,  how  to 
distinguish  the  true  from  the  false,  the  workings  of  the 
spirit  from  the  conceits  ef  the  imagination  ?  Or  are  we, 
without  consulting  the  written  word  of  the  gospel,  to  take 
it  for  granted  that  these  impulses  and  feejings  are  the  direct 
witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  If  so,  if  there  is  no  definite 
standard  by  which  these  feelings  are  to  be  tried,  then   all 


tills  boasted  assurance  derived  alone  from  this"  source  is  but 
a  blind  leap  in  the  dark,  and  is  no  assurance  at  all.  Breth- 
ren, the  great  question  whether  God  is  willing  to  have  mer- 
cy upon  a  sinner,  is  too  important,  too  momentous  to  be 
left  to  any  frames  or  feelings  of  mortals.  It  was  the  ex- 
press object  of  the  gospel  revalation  to  certify  us  of  God's 
willingness  to  save  sinners,  it  was  in  order  to  place  that 
blessed  truth  beyond  all  donbt  and  controversy,  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  lived,  and  taught,  and  suffered,  and  died, 
and  rose  again.  It  was  for  this  purpose  that  a  Church  with 
its  Sacraments  was  established,  and  that  a  living  ministry 
was  instituted  to  go  abroad  and  proclaim  the  glad  tidings 
of  salvation,  to  stand  before  men  face  to  face,  and  as  tin;, 
rise  up  in  successive  generations  to  tell  them  the  good  news 
that  God  is  willing  to  save  sinners.  Wherefore,  since  Go4 
has  given  us  the  inspired  word  of  his  gospel,  and  therein 
made  known  to  us  the  revelation  of  his  will,  it  is  nowour 
duty  and  privilege  to  be  guided  by  the  gospel  as  a  sure  and 
infalliable  standard.  By  the  gospel  we  are  to  determine 
whether  we  repent  of  sin,  whether  we  are  willing  to-aecep! 
the  pardoning  mercy  of  God,- whether  we  are  ready  to  ac 
cede  to  the  terms  of  salvation,  and  whether  we  have 
I  loly  Spirit  bearing  witness  with  our  spirits  that  we  are  the 
children  of  God."  In  the  gospel,  God  makes  known  his 
will  unto  men,  in  the  gospel  the  terms  of  salvation  are 
plainly  laid  down,  therein  the  marks  and  evidences  of  con- 
version and  adoption  are  clearly  specified,  and  all  the  frails 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  distinctly  enumerated.  It  is  therefore 
by  the  gospel  that  we  arc  to  test  the  exercises  of  our  he;: 
our  frames  and  feelings,  and  thus  ascertain,  in  a*  clear  ami 
satisfactory  manner,  "  whether  we  are  born  of  the  Spirit." 
and  "arc  become  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus:" 

4.  Some  persons  arc  filled  with  doiibts'aiM  fear*  hen < 
of  an  injudicious  comparison  of  (heir  own  religious  exercises 
with  the  exercises  of  others.  They  see  others  strong  in  the 
faith,  cheerful  and  happy  in  the  enjoyment  of  religious  com- 
forts, apparently  growing  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of 
Christ ;  whilst  they  themselves  are  weak  and  feeble,  full  of 
doubts  and  fears,  and  groaning  under  a  burden  of  sin  and 
corruption.  They,  therefore  become  discouraged,  they  sink 
down  in  despondency,  and  often-times  conclude  that  thej 
knew  nothing  of  religion,  and  ':  are  aliens  from  the  commoh- 
wcaltli  of  Israel,  having  no  hope  anil  jvithout  God  in  the 
world.''     Now  these  persons  do  not  consider  that  tftough 


10 

rt  there  is  t'he  same  Spirit,  there  is  a  diversify  of  operations  :'' 
that  some  have  one  gift  of  the  Spirit,  and  some  another,  and 
that  always,  each   one  lias  something    peculiar  to  himself. 
They  should  remember  that  all  have  their  trials  and  diffi- 
culties, their  doubts  and  fears,  their  temptations  and  beset- 
ting sins,  their  days  of  darkness  and  desertion  ;  and  that 
those  who  now  seem  so  much  to  abound  in  faith  and  hope 
and  comfort,  may  ere  long  be  weeping  over  the  desolation 
of  their  spiritual  prospects,  and  in  the  bitterness  of  their 
hearts  may  be  asking  '.'  if  the  Lord  has  forgotten  to  be  gra- 
cious, and  if  his  mercy  is  clean  gone  forever  ?"     These  per- 
sons should  remember  that  though  they  find  in  their  hearts. 
so  much  sin  and  corruption,  and  think  that  surely  none  can 
be  so  unworthy  as  they  ;  yet  that  all  have  to  complain  of 
the  plague  of  their  hearts,  and  to  confess  and  bewail * their 
infirmities  and  sinfulness  in  the  sight  of  heaven.     It  was 
the  complaint  even  of  an  apostle,  that  when  "  he  would  do 
good.,  he  found  evil  was  present  f  "  that  though  he  delight- 
ed in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man,'7  yet  he  saw 
another  law  in  his  members,  warring  against  the  law  of  his 
mind,  and  bringing  him  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  in 
his  members."     But  in  this  state  of  mind,  what  was  the  re- 
source of  the  apostle  ?  to  whom  did  he  look  for  deliverance 
"from  this  body  of  death?"    'Hear  him  in  his  own'words, 
"I  thank  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."     The  apos- 
tles hope  was  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  in  him    alone  •  he  rested 
simply  upon   the  cross.     And  here  too  must  be  placed  the 
hopes  of  all  believers  ;  the  strong  as   well  as   the  weak. 
They  must  look  to  Jesus  Christ,  from  first  to  last  they  must 
go  as  sinners  to  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  all  their  hopes  of 
acceptance  with  God,  and  of  happiness  in  heaven,  must  rest 
upon  no  merits  nor  works  of  their  own,  but  altogether  upon 
God's  mercy,  vouchsafed  to  sinners  through  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.     The   great   anchor-hope   of  the   Christian  is  this, 
"That  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.''' 
To  this  he  clings  through  all  the  doubts  and  fears  and  trials 
of  his  toilsome  pilgrimage  ;  and  in  his  fearful  struggle  with 
his  last  enemy,  it  is  this  that  sustains  his  soul,  and  giving 
him  the  victory,  enables  him  to  depart  with  the  song  of  tri- 
umph on  his  lips. 

5.   The  great   importance   of  the   inlerpt  at   sialce,  has  a. 
natural  tendency   to  piycluce,    in  some  persons,   agitation. 
rjiliiess  ami  alarm.     Some  persons  from  constitutional 
■  jterament  are  prone  to  look  on  the  dark  and  unfavora- 
ble side  of  objects*;  they  are  predisposed   to   melancholy 


11 

forebodings,  and  seek  morbid  -rati  lira  linns  in  creating  and 
cherishing  a  crowd  of  imaginary  fears  and  evils.  Now 
when  persons  of  this  constitutional  tendency  become  inter- 
ested in  the  momentous  truths  of  religion,  and  when  they 
find  in  themselves,  after  all  their  efforts,  so  much  sin  ami 
corruption,  they    very   naturally  give  way  to   ->  and 

melancholy;  and  ask  it'  it  is  possible  that  such  as  they  can 
be  Christians;  they  think  that  ilioy  must  be  strangers  to 
the  converting  and  sanctifying  power  of  grace,  and  that  it 
it  is  but  the  mockery,  the  profanation  of  holy  things,  for 
them  to  claim  to  be  the  followers  of  the  Saviour.  And  even 
where  there  is  no  peculiar  constitutional  tendency  to  mel- 
ancholy, the  very  magnitude  of  the  interests  involved  will 
cause  in  many  persons,,apprehension,  anxiety  and  agitation. 
The  startling  question  will  sometimes  press  itself  into  no- 
tice, "  what,  if  they  should  be  deceived?"  What-  if  after 
all  their  profession'  of  religion  before  men,  they  should  at 
last  become  cast  away  from  the  presence  of  I  r.od,  and  in- 
stead of  gaining  the  joys  of  heaven,  should  be  sentenced  to 
endure  the  torments  of  licll?"  Being  sincerely  honest  in 
their  religious  purposes,  and  utterly  abhorring  all  manner 
of  hypocraey,  such  persons  often  become  greatly  distressed 
and  alarmed',  when  they  find  in  themselves  so  many  repeated 
and  melancholy  proofs  "  that  the  heart  is  deceitful  and  des- 
perately wicked."  The  sad  complaint  of  each  one  is  this, 
4i  Lord,  I  sometimes  believe,  or  rather  hope  that  I  am  a 
Christian,  that  I  am  converted  and  become  a  new  man  in 
Christ  Jesus.  I  do  know  it  is  my  wish,  my  earnest  prayer 
and  effort  to  be  a  Christian  ;  and  that  I  would  not  willing- 
ly appear  before  men  to  be  what  I  am  not  in  the  sight  of 
God  ;  but  alas !  I  have  a  heart  so  wicked,  and  I  so  often 
fall  into  sin  and  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  *I  am  awfully 
afraid  I  am  yet  a  stranger  to  #tho  sanctifying  power  of 
grace."  "  Search  me,  Oh  !  God,  and  know  my  heart ;  try 
me  and  know  my  thoughts,  and  sec  if  there  be  any  wicked 
way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in  tbe  way  everlasting."  i;  Create 
in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within 
me."  "  Cast  me  not  away  from  thy  presence,  and  take  not 
thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me."  Now  to  such  persons  we  would 
say,  that  those  who  have  the  deepest  religious  feelings,  arc  . 
sometimes  most  doubtful  of  tbeir  religious  attainments  : 
that  where  there  is  much  grace,  there  is  commonly  the  most 
humility  ;  that  a  weak  faith  may  be  as  sincere  and  saving 
as  a 'strong  one  ;  that  these  doubts  and  fears  are  incentive- 


1 

to  duly  and  watchfulness,  anil  barriers  against  sins  and 
temptations;  thai  those  wrho-ha*vo  the  least  confident  and 
make  the  least  pretentions  arc  oftentimes  the  most  faithful 
in  duty  and  the  most  persevering  in  well-doing;  and  that 
thus  it  is  with  believers  in  general,  sometimes  in  hope,  him! 
sometimes  in  fear;  yet,  by  the  grace  of  God,  constantly 
pressing  onward,  through  manifold  trials,  temptations  anil 
difficulties,  and  notwithstanding  all  their  discouragements, 
defeats  and  falls,  successfully  reaching  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
\en,  and  ultimately  gaining  a  crown  of  life.  It  should  be 
remembered,  too,  that  the  Christian's  life  here  below  is  a 
state  of  warfare,  and  that  no  soldier  can  reasonably  expect 
always  to  enjoy  ease  and  comfort.  Trials  and  hardships 
must  be  encountered,  wearisome  journeys,  cold  and  hunger 
must  be  his  portion,  and  sometimes  he  must\ningle  in  the 
fierce  and  deadly  strife  and  clanger  of  Jbattle.  Let  then 
these  weak  .and  desponding  believers  go  onward,  notwith- 
standing all  their  doubts  and  fears,  "looking  only"  to  Jesus 
the  author  and  finisher  of  their  faith.  Though  the  way 
may  be  rough,  and  the  difficulties  may  be  great,  and  the 
prospects  may  be  dark,  and  their  spirits  may  be  sad,  yet  let 
Lliein  hold  on  to  the  promise  ;  yes,  let  them  hold  on  to  the 
promise,  diligently  using  all  the  means  of  grace  provided  in 
the  Church,  and  all  will  come  right  at  last  ;  the  hills  wilf 
recede,  and  the  way  will  become  more  smooth  ;  the  fury  of 
the  storm  will  be  hushed,  the  clouds  will  disperse,  the  birds 
will  resume  their  songs,  the  fields  will  look  green  and  gay, 
and  the  sun,  which  had  been  so  long  concealed,  or  faintly 
seen  at  intervals,  will  shine  forth  in  full-orbed  glory,  and 
sink  to  rest  without  a  cloud  or  speck  to  dim  his  disc.  God 
is  faithful  to  his  promise  :  like  himself,  his  promise  is  the 
same,  "  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.'''  Hear  the  exhorta- 
iion  of  the  pious  Prophet  of  Israel,  "who  is  among  you 
that  fcareth  the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the  voice  of  his  servant, 
that  walketh  in  darkness,  an»d  hath  no  light ;  let  him  trust 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  upon  his  God."  And 
hear  from  the  same  Prophet,  the  promise  of  God,  "Fear 
not,  for  I  am  with  thee  :  be  not  dismayed,  for  I  am  thy  God  ; 
I  will  strengthen  thee  ;  yea,  I  will' help  thee  ;  yea,  I  will 
uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand  of  my  righteousness." 

And  here,  in  conclusion,  we  would  remark,  that  the  best 
-remedy  for  all  these  doubts  and  fears,  is  humble'  prayer  to 
God.  This  was  the  resort  of  the  father  of  the  afflicted  child : 
help,  Lord  :  help  thou  mine  unbelief;  and  prayer  must  be 
our  main* resource  under  all  the  imperfections  of  our  faith. 


13 

We  should  recollect  that  faith  is  the  gift  of  God,  and' we 
should,  therefore,  pray  to  him  to  bestow  upon  us  tbafcmost 
precious  gift,     We  must  ask  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  "  to  work 
m  us  to  will  and  to  do,"  to  enable  us  to  believe,  and  to  take 
hold  of  the  sweet  promises  of  mercy.     And  we  have  every 
encouragement  to  pray  ;  for  God  has  promised  to  hear  when 
we  call  and  to  give  wheii  we  ask  ;  and  especially  to  "give 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him."     Let  us  then  day  by 
*hy  lift  up  our  hearts  to  God  ;  let  us  pour  out  to  him  the 
wants  and  sorrows  -of  our  souls  :  let  it  be  our  earnest  cry 
that  the  Lord  would  help  us  to  believe,  that  he  would  give 
us  grace  and  strength  to  rise  above  all  our  fears,  and  to 
claim  the  Saviour  as  our  personal  Friend   and  Redeemer 
Let  us   "go  forward  in  the  strength  of  the  fiord,  making 
mention  of  his  righteousness  and  of  his  only,"  and  we  shall 
hnd  to  our  comfort,  that  our  hearts,  so  long  contracted  by 
doubts  and  fears,  will  be  relaxed  and  softened;  the  affec- 
tions of  our  souls  will  (low  out  and  fasten  themselves  upon 
the  Miviour  :  the  painful  conflict  in  our  bosoms  will  be  tor- 
minated  ;  and  the  blessed,  "  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all 
understanding/Will  take  the  place  of  gritty  and  accusing 
fears.    We  shall  thus  be   strengthened  with  might  by  h 
bpirit  in  the  inner  man;  Christ  will  dwell  in  our  hearts  1 
ajtb  :  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  wc  shall  be  abie 
o  comprehend  with   all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and 
length,   and  depth,  and  height,  and  to   know  the  love  of 
nnst,  which  passeth   knowledge,  and  to  be   filled  with  all 
the  fulness  of  God."    Xow  unto  him  which  is  able   to  do 
exceedingly  above  all  that  wc  ask  or  think, -according  to 
the   power    hat  workcth  in  us,  unto   him  be  glory   in  the 
church-  by  Christ  Jesus,  throughout  all  ages,  world  without 
cihi. — Amen. 


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pH  8.5 


